Found
by ravenclawer
Summary: Legolas fights his first battle as a defender of Mirkwood against the Orcs. However, all Orcs may not be what they seem. Some once had lives, too. *Takes place when Legolas is younger*
1. At Last

Disclaimer: J.R.R. Tolkien owns all the characters. The name Nimthôn was created by RinoaDestiny.  
  
A/N Thanks also to Dauphin for telling me that!  
  
PLEASE READ AUTHOR'S NOTE!  
  
"My Lord, a large army of Orcs have been sighted near the borders," The tall, elven messenger spoke.  
  
"Thank you, Ethralore, you may go."  
  
The king of Mirkwood quietly dismissed his courier, and began pacing across the floor of his throne, oblivious to all else.  
  
Orcs. ORCS. The dreaded monsters of Sauron that had destroyed half his family, tortured his people. He stopped pacing and closed his eyes, thinking. It was a memory of long ago... one that he dared not think about until today. They had tormented and killed his beautiful and gentle queen, and his second eldest- they had never found his body, and yet he did not wish to see it either. Elves were always tortured the cruelest by Orcs, their natural enemy. Many had there been sightings of mutilated Elven bodies, victims of the Orcs.  
  
Sighing, he opened his eyes and set a determined stance. Now was not the time for doting on the unchangeable past. He knew he must act quickly, for the sake of his people and the rest of his living heirs.  
  
"Nimthôn, Legolas!" The words were hardly uttered when a tall elf swiftly entered the room, followed by a smaller blonde elf. They resembled much like the rest of the Elven race; with light and sadness radiating everywhere they walked.  
  
It was the taller elf, Thranduil's oldest son, who spoke first.  
  
"Father, Legolas and I have heard the news. I humbly seek permission to gather a small group of warriors and defend our borders."  
  
Thranduil glanced at his sons, the oldest almost 1000 years; the youngest but a few centuries old. They both were extremely skilled with weapons, but it was his oldest who had really ever experienced his first taste in battle, as Thranduil had done thousands of years ago. His sons stood patiently as he reached for a decision to Nimthôn's original question. It was a few minutes before he answered.  
  
"You have my permission. But-" he hesitated. "This time, you may also bring your brother."  
  
He looked at his youngest son, Legolas, sternly, but was evidently still speaking to his eldest.  
  
"I believe that he is ready for his first battle. His tutors say that he may prove to be a noble warrior like his family, and I believe it." Then the king said in a softer tone, "My sons, may you and your defenders go with luck". He nodded once as a sign for dismissal, and they silently left.  
  
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Legolas could not believe what had just happened. For the first time in his life, he was going to fight for his race, his right as a prince, and his revenge for his mother and brother. All his life he had dreamed of having a mother. Now he finally had the chance to revenge her death, like his father and older brother, who along with the other elves, defended their forests fiercely. He knew he would not fail defending his home. He would rather die than let his enemies tear down his people's great homes and set their hideous feet upon his beloved forest.  
  
A/N- Liked it? Hated it? Please review. Also, I apologize if I wrote some of the facts wrong. The next chapter will come soon, hopefully. I've already got the next chapter planned; I just need to write it. And yes, I do know that this chapter is extremely short. I hope the future ones will be longer. As you can see, there isn't much of a plot written yet, but... you'll see as the time goes, I guess. Oh, and PLEASE R~E~V~I~E~W! 


	2. Orc Sightings

Ging?  
  
Disclaimer- Sadly, J.R. Tolkien owns everything *sob*. RinoaDestiny owns the name Nimthôn.  
  
A/N- Thanks so much to Dauphin for leaving a review pointing out that Nimthôn was an invented name created by RinoaDestiny…. Oops, sorry. So RinoaDestiny owns that. Thanks also to songfire, marajade334, and hey- jude909 for reviewing!  
  
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The sun was barely peeking its rays out from the high trees of outer Mirkwood when Legolas and Nimthôn set out swiftly among the tall branches of their forest, ready to patrol and defend their home. Nimthon, the eldest of the royal family, had volunteered to accompany his youngest and only brother on his first serious patrol. For despite the fact that Legolas could easily learn from any other elven defender, he felt that it was…actually, somehow his responsibility to take care of his brother ever since his mother and other brother had died in an Orc attack. Besides, his father, as a king, could not be bothered from his work for his kingdom to simply watch over and accompany his son on his first and very dangerous patrol. There was plenty of other elves well suited and trusted enough to help the youngest prince on his first task. But Nimthôn knew that unusually, this was not just some small group of Orcs that they were facing; thus the reason for his decision to volunteer to go with his brother.  
  
The brothers suddenly stopped from their silent patrol around the borders of their kingdom, each landing softly on a branch they had chosen. Nimthôn held up a hand for silence towards a somewhat confused but obedient brother. After a moment of silence and keen hearing senses up to work, Nimthôn finally spoke, a question not only directed towards Legolas but also to himself.  
  
"What do you hear?"  
  
"I think…yes, might it be the footsteps from some creatures coming north...?" Legolas answered softly, before lapsing into silence again.  
  
Suddenly he stiffened, and in an almost awe-like voice, murmured, "Orcs".  
  
Nimthôn smiled a little to himself, despite the seriousness of the moment. Like himself, his father, and his long-deceased mother, his little brother was quick. The thought had just barely passed into his mind before Legolas had said the fated word, Orcs.  
  
He quickly climbed up to the top of the towering tree, beckoning Legolas to follow him. Legolas did his brother's bidding, and followed swiftly after him. Pretty soon, the brothers were camouflaged neatly, perched atop the tallest branch of their tree.  
  
********  
  
Legolas' keen eyes searched swiftly across the wood; it wasn't long before he spotted a small herd of grey things wearing blackened armor trampling towards their way from about a mile away. He stiffened in sudden anger. So these are Orcs, he thought. Suddenly a flash of white, something distinctly reminding him of a dress, caught his eye. He swiftly leapt forward on to the next tree, a great oak, when the white glimmer that had caught his eye before revealed itself. It was a young elf-child, lying trapped with the Orcs looming towards her way…  
  
  
  
"Arwen!" Legolas whispered, stricken. She was his cousin, and only a few decades younger than him. He suddenly thought about the consequences if he hadn't spotted her, but quickly dismissed the idea as the situation arose before him. He thought quickly, I could go forward alone, somehow get to her before the Orcs did, but then my cover would be broken and it would be too risky. I could also… At this point Legolas couldn't think of anything else. Then, suddenly he knew what to do.  
  
He called back softly in elvish, "Nimthôn! Arwen is in danger. We must go."  
  
*********  
  
Once he saw the dreaded Orcs, Nimthôn had immediately lapsed into vigorous thoughts about the best way to attack, the positions of the other elves and the best way to alert them, whether he should alert all of them or leave a good amount back to defend from other attacks, and so on…. Only a few seconds had flown by when he finally reached a conclusion, and was about to signal the nearby elves when he heard his brother say, "Nimthôn! Arwen is in danger. We must go." He looked towards Legolas, but his brother had already gone. Nimthôn followed quickly. His little cousin Arwen and his brother should not be going into danger without him heading after them too.  
  
*******  
  
"Arwen!" Legolas called frantically as soon as he had spotted her on the forest ground. "What is the matter-" Then he saw. His cousin lay unconscious, an arrow buried deep into her side. He checked her pause, and thankfully found that she was still alive. He suddenly tightened in anger (for as a young elf, he had really never learned patience yet) at the Orcs, sworn enemies of his kind, even as he was attempting to pick her up and carry her to safety and help.  
  
It was then, that the first Orc head popped up behind the bushes. 


	3. Captured!

It was then that the first Orc appeared in the clearing.  
  
Legolas heard the creatures, but did not turn. He quickly moved Arwen up a strong branch, whispering gently to the tree in Elvish at the same time- asking for its protection for one of his kin.  
  
"Legolas!" he heard his brother call in an apprehensive tone. He hardly knew what that meant until the first blow from an Orc axe came- hard towards his head. But quick instinct and reflexes saved his life- as it would for most elves- as Legolas ducked and stepped back rapidly.  
  
The axe glanced by hitting the wind with tremendous force, leaving him staring horrifically at an ugly Orc. Its face was full of foulness and evil surrounded its every move.  
  
However, in that one decisive frozen moment he stood, the Orc had already decided out of blind anger to swing again; barely did Legolas escape a second time. Silently he cursed himself for his supposed "gift" with the forest, one that he had almost killed him while he was supposed to be preparing a defense or attack with his brother. The thought that this gift had helped him save his cousin never occurred to him.  
  
But Legolas was not given time to think about that as the Orc in front of him dropped dead on its feet, an arrow piercing its heart. The elf gasped for breath as the body flung on top of him before he could move; and in that one instant, he caught sight of his brother. Nimthôn was rapidly fighting his way towards him, his movements a blur with skill. Orcs fell left and right. But even as Legolas all but flung the dead Orc away from him, he knew that the older prince would not survive within a matter of time if the attack continued like this. Even though his brother was an excellent fighter, even considered among his own people, the waves of Orcs coming against a single elf should be simply too much. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw Nimthôn falter for a second, but regain footing soon after that.  
  
As inexperienced as he was, he knew that he would have to act quickly. Drawing out his knives, Legolas ran forward- a few of the Orcs sensed him, and started heading his way. The elf drew back his blade to strike the nearest one.  
  
But suddenly the young prince stopped, his blade mere inches from striking the rough skin of the enemy. Despair took root.  
  
  
  
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Legolas thoughts sank deep within his soul, and in those few precious moments of time, he thought fervently of all that he, the youngest prince of Mirkwood, stood for. The Orcs were his enemies- they would always be. But during his childhood and early youth, the elf had often watched and listened to the trees speak. For they were wise; they had lived since the dawn of time when Middle-Earth was created. And in those songs he had heard stories of peace, of pleasures before evil took its root among the world. And he wondered if there was a time when Orcs and Elves lived together in peace- for the origin of Orcs was not talked about and unknown to the prince at the time. Legolas could not bring himself to strike blade against flesh of his enemy, a living creature after all. He could not bring himself to kill his enemy- even in this time of war. The young elf did not want to kill. So instead, he retreated backwards and drew out his bow.  
  
  
  
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An arrow sang true as it struck the arm of one attacking Orc. But a few seconds later, his arrow wounded another. The ground wasn't long before it became covered with Orc blood.  
  
Firing rapidly and injuring many, Legolas soon became the other victim (besides his brother) that the Orcs were focusing their attacks on. He didn't know it, but by that time other defenders of Mirkwood had arrived. However, it was then when help arrived that he needed it the most- as he began firing his 12th arrow, Legolas found that there was no room for him to fire anymore. The Orc in front of him knew it also; it laughed maliciously at the elf, its thin lips curled up in a cruel smile, showing off its foul yellow teeth.  
  
Then it lifted up its weapon to deal the final blow.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
(A/N- Did you REALLY think I was going to make this a cliffhanger? Well, yes.)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Legolas knew it was going to be his end if he didn't act quickly. But then a thought reached him with ferocious speed: This is my first skirmish. Other elves have survived thousands of battles- and I am a prince! I must not- I WILL NOT disappoint my people and my family!!! So the elf did the last thing he wanted to do. He found his blade, and struck first with blind quickness and anger, hitting the Orc's armor and partly into his side. The Orc fell as Legolas became saddened immediately by its misfortune. But his enemy was not done yet. It heaved a final blow (or as Legolas thought) towards him, while the prince leapt back a moment too late. The iron weapon hit his head hard… his vision swam around him and he staggered. The last thing he saw before he fell unconscious was a tree- a Weeping Willow among the beautiful bed of greens in his forest. And the Orc that Legolas thought he had killed stood dizzily back up. Only wounded in the slightest because of its protective armor. It dragged Legolas near some bushes- a safe hiding spot for a captive of Orcs- and went back to the battle.  
  
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(A/N- One of the Orcs will play a very important role in this story. Also, Legolas' "gift" is simply his way of understanding his forest better than most elves. Thanks to all of you who reviewed! Please Review! ; ) 


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